| Family: |
Stomiidae (Barbeled dragonfishes), subfamily: Melanostomiinae |
| Max. size: |
7.4 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range 0 - 1200 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: tropical, Gulf of Aden to the Coral Sea and the Hawaiian Islands. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-14; Anal soft rays: 12-16. This species is distinguished from other species in the subgenus Photonectes by the following set of characters: dorsal-fin rays 11-14, anal-fin rays 12-16; IV photophores 38-39, PV photophores 24-25; no blue luminous tissue; reduced length of gill filaments on first branchial arch, less than depth of gill arch; barbel with 2 large bulbs in series; two large bulbs in series and a tiny bulb at the end of the filament. Photonectes waitti differs from P. mirabilis and P. phyllopogon in having 11-14 dorsal-fin rays (vs. 16-17 and 20-23, respectively), 12-16 anal-fin rays (vs. 19-20 and 22-25, respectively), and 38-39 IV photophores (vs. 33-34 and 30-31, respectively); from P. coffea in having gill filaments on first gill arch reduced (vs. very long, extending beyond gill opening), PV photophores 24-25 (vs. 29-31); from P. achirus, P. caerulescens, and P. mirabilis in lacking blue luminous tissue (Ref. 92891). |
| Biology: |
|
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 15 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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